Malaysia reports 2,842 new Covid-19 infections, 31 additional deaths

Malaysia reported 2,842 new COVID-19 infections as of midnight Tuesday, bringing the national total to 2,769,886, according to the health ministry.

Some 332 of the new cases are imported, with 2,510 being local transmissions, data released on the ministry's website showed.

Another 31 deaths have been reported, bringing the death toll to 31,591.

About 2,862 patients have been released after recovery, bringing the total number of cured and discharged to 2,698,613.

There are 39,682 active cases with 252 being held in intensive care and 134 of those in need of assisted breathing.

The country reported 241,595 vaccine doses administered on Tuesday alone and some 79.7 percent of the population have received at least one dose, 78.5 percent are fully vaccinated and 21 percent have received boosters.

Meanwhile Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin said Tuesday that another four local transmissions of the Omicron variant have been detected.

"All four cases are close contacts of positive COVID-19 Omicron cases who returned to Malaysia after performing Umrah in Saudi Arabia on Dec. 12 and were confirmed positive for the Omicron variant on Dec. 24," he said in a statement, adding that overall Malaysia has a total of 122 confirmed Omicron cases.